Let the People Decide?

From the Green Party(http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_02_09.shtml): Democrats in the House of Representatives have introduced a new bill, the Let the People Decide Clean Campaign Act (H.R. 4694), which would mandate public funding of congressional campaigns in order to eliminate the corruption associated with private funding. While I favor public funding of political campaigns, the problem with H.R. 4694 is that it does not truly "let the people decide." Third party and independent candidates would be required to submit petitions signed by 10% of the last vote cast for partial funding, and 20% petitions for full funding. Here's what Phil Huckelberry, co-chair of the Illinois Green Party and co-chair of the national Green Party's Ballot Access Committee, had to say: "10% and 20% in many districts represent prohibitively large numbers of required signatures," Huckelberry said. "The goal behind H.R. 4694 is to use public financing of campaigns -- itself a sorely needed reform -- to eliminate third party challenges in congressional races."

If the Democrats are really serious about reform, they'll introduce a bill that will provide public funding of political campaigns while also embracing rather than excluding third party challengers. They will truly "let the people decide." Until then, this bill is only as much about letting the people decide as the Patriot Act is about patriotism, and all Americans should encourage their representatives to vote against it.